7: Try the pegs for size, without using glue.
8: Plane or sand the board smooth. It can be left plain, or you can bead its edges using a simple beading tool.
9: As the diagram shows, a beading tool is easy to make out of a screw and a piece of scrap wood. When finished, round off the outer edge with a small plane.
10: Paint the board in your choice of color; however, keep the paint out of the holes, as this will inhibit glue adhesion.
11: Treat the pegs with a clear finish, avoiding the joint area.
12: When all finishes are dry, glue in the pegs. When the glue is dry, saw off any protruding tenon joint at the back.
13: You can surface-mount the pegboard by screwing it to an existing wall. Countersink the screw heads for a neat finish and then fill in and paint over them. In new walls, pegboards can be recessed into the plasterwork.
Candle Box
Small boxes of all types were once a common feature in country households. They were used to hold all manner of things, from salt and spices to knives, spoons, and, of course, candles, or whatever else needed to be put away safely where it could readily be found. The earliest examples were wall boxes. These were made to hang from either a peg or nail on the wall or designed to sit up against a wall, supported on a table or ledge. In their simplest form, these boxes were lidless. However, others did have lids and, as the design developed, further elaboration in the form of the inclusion of drawers took place; in some instances, the formerly simple box became a miniature set of drawers.
Collectors have given names to boxes according to their main use, and in addition to the uses mentioned, there are, among others, bobbin boxes (for storing lacemaking bobbins), dice and domino boxes, and pipe and tobacco boxes.
Some boxes had no specific use but were merely for keeping safe important documents, letters, personal treasures, or valuable books. These were known as “keeping” boxes. Quite often, they were intricately decorated with paintings or carvings to attest to the value that was placed on them and their contents.
While it may be difficult for us today, with our built-in cupboards, to appreciate just how invaluable these boxes were in the past, they still can serve a useful purpose over and above a decorative one. A candle box makes an ideal letter rack or place to keep the household bills, while other boxes can be modified to suit all types of modern application.
ABILITY LEVEL
Novice/Intermediate
SIZE
18 x 9 x 6 .5 in. (457 x 228 x 165 mm)
MATERIALS
Pine, Cherry, Oak
CUTTING LIST
1 back
18 x 8 x .5 in. (457 x 203 x 12 mm)
1 front
8 x 8 x .5 in. (203 x 203 x 12 mm)
2 sides
10 x 5 x .5 in. (254 x 127 x 12 mm)
1 bottom
9 x 6.5 x .5 in. (228 x 165 x12 mm)
1: Mark out and cut the separate pieces to size. They can be cut economically from two pieces of wood, as shown. Mark each piece for its intended use.
2: Enlarge and trace the template patterns to the appropriate pieces of wood.
3: Cut the pieces to shape.
4: For the internal heart shape, first drill through the wood and then enlarge the hole with a fret saw or coping saw. Finish off with a file and sandpaper.
5: Clean off all tool marks on the sawed edges. Check that everything is cut to size and that the side pieces are a matching pair.
6: Assemble the back, front, and side pieces without using glue. Check the alignment of the matching edges of the shaped pieces. Make any necessary adjustments.
7: Mark out and cut a .25 in. (6 mm) chamfer on the front and side top edges of the bottom piece of wood.
8: Clean up all the component pieces ready for assembly.
9: Glue and nail all the box components together. Use small panel pins or finishing nails and take care not to split the wood when nailing, especially if you have used a hardwood to make the box ((see Tools & Techniques chapter for advice on nailing).
10: Begin by fixing the back to the sides, then add the front. Check that everything is square before fixing the bottom in place. Remove any surplus glue and leave to dry thoroughly.
11: Punch the nail heads below the surface and fill the indentations with woodfiller or with a mixture of glue and sawdust.
12: Apply a suitable indoor finish. A traditional beeswax polish will give a warm glow to the wood, especially after a number of applications; varnish will give a tougher, more protective finish. If you want to give your box a well-aged appearance, try one of the special techniques such as distressing the wood, applying an “antique” wood stain, or painting the box and then distressing the paintwork (see Finishing chapter for details).
13: The box can be hung on a wall using two nails, hooks, or small pegs through the heart-shaped cut-out, or you can use a standard mirror plate that screws onto the back of the box. The candle box can also be freestanding and be placed on a table or perhaps a window ledge.
Milking Stool
For centuries, there was no way of milking a cow other than by hand. A milker’s stool would be low and sturdy (the example below is relatively tall), with three legs in a tripod arrangement—stable on rough and uneven floors and allowing the sitter to lean forward on two legs, “into” the cow. Even if never used for this purpose, such stools are today collectively known as milking stools. The majority of milking stools have circular seats, although some have a straight front edge. A Scandinavian specialty has only one leg. Today, a milking stool makes a positive contribution to a living room fireside or a country-style kitchen. Children also love them because they don’t stand too high.
ABILITY LEVEL
Novice/Intermediate
SIZE
10 x 10 x 8 in. (254 x 254 x 203 mm)
MATERIALS
(Top)
Elm, Oak, Pine
(Legs)
Ash, Beech, Maple, Oak
CUTTING LIST
1 top
10 x 10 x 2 in. (254 x 254 x 51 mm)